The Enemy Within

Mer:

Desmond answers so Tully doesn't need to.

I go running back inside the clinic to find Des.

He was hurt. Something happened with his eyes.

"Desmond I am here. Can I touch you?"

I ask his permission so I can help lead him out of this place.

Desmond:

My chest hurts slightly at the question.

I extinguish my flames.

"Y-yeah..."

I realize in the heat of the moment I was able to touch her without pain.

"On the.. Plus side.. I don't.. Don't think my mind is gonna zap me about you anymore..."

Not after seeing her like... that.... I think the concern and rage on her behalf of how she's already been abused and my own need for revenge should hopefully be more than enough to break this conditioning lie. At least when it comes to her. I know I wasn't the one who hurt her. I know who her real predator is.

"S-sorry you had to see that..."

She only saw it cause she was trying to help me..

Mer:

Desmond allows me to touch him.

I am careful with my approach as I did not want to overwhelm him too quickly in his vulnerable state.

"That is a plus."

I try to tease as i lead him down the hallway.

It was so hard to believe that any of this could happen.

I was still trying to wrap my head around it all.

Desmond apologizes regarding what we saw.

I was trying so hard not to think about it.

"Yeah, me too."

I cringe feeling sick.

Desmond:

"Thanks. For helping me."

I swallow not thinking it was right to say anything more to her about all of this after she had to experience such a horrible thing.

We'll get him. I think to myself... Get him and... Free however many Mers and others there are...

I just... Don't know how or... when...

I bet he fled to his bubble or at least is keeping his victims held there.

Maybe if he really is deluded enough with his whole not my enemy stick he'll invite me over at some point after all the other crises are dealt with.

A part of me thinks there could be clues to what he was doing here, (if it wasn't just him having a twisted kick of having sex wherever and with whoever he wants), but there's no way I could figure that out as blind as I was, and I sure as hell wasn't going to mention it to Mer. She shouldn't have to go back to that disgusting room... Plus maybe he teleported everything with him anyway... If there was anything to begin with...

Mer:

"Of course, what are friends for."

I smile sadly at him as we get outside to the car where Tully was waiting for us.

"We are at the car. Should we head back to the barn?  Or is there another place we should go for your.. treatment?"

I question helplessly.

Tully:

I wince at Meradith's rebuke. Shes scary 

"S..s.sorry."

I look wide eyed back at the center, so empty. Where is everyone? Where are the other Peacekeepers.

(There was a massive draft of older orphans/refugees to skip their checkmarks and become fully fledged members, to replace the ones Xenon killed) 

I hear faintly some telepathic activity but it wasn't being projected at me - but at Mer so I cant say for sure if its Desmond or someone else.

Meridieth runs after it inside.  Maybe ...it was for her?

Damnit..

I stay by the car

I ready my weapon and slowly look around still taken back by no one being here.


Is there a big party under the blue dome?


Desmond comes back  hut...with blood..


I cringe a little scooting away AFRAID it was like acid or something.


They talk about seeing things and of course i want to know WHAT it is but I was too afraid to ask.


They talk about here to go..back to the barn being an option.


That SMALL ship seating suddenly becomes very scary. I wonder if I should RUN AWAY and let Mer drive.


I hope he doesnt blood poison the Foxes..

Desmond:


I smile at her friend comment. At least that wasn't irreparably destroyed... Unlike so many other things...

"I.. I don't know where they would be..."

And I feel my stomach in anxious knotts having to be in there presence like this.

Plus how wet the place might be there.

"Maybe they could be in the bubble?... So, I guess we can't do anything for now... But again thanks..."

Mer:

"Well we must hide regardless. Tully please, take us somewhere remote while we think of a game plan."

I instruct him before helping Desmond into the car.

"You confronted the king, and based on what we saw in there he is no longer safe to be around."

I get in the car with him trying to think.

"Your eyes, what can we do to clean them?"

Tully:

I look confused at Meradith. 

She said .Desmond confronted... the King!?

I was going to protest we go to the CASLTE right away to undo whatever understand they THINK happened but Mer was too scary.

*awkwardly drives out of the city, towards a very vacant area where some traveling refugees were parked in the middle of nowhere on a yet to be established part of the planet*

'Colorful clad, homeless looking folk were paying no mind to trouble, passing around some sort of pipe around a fire. 

There was a young blue haired girl picking leaves in the woodland area. I pass her by careful not to tip her over and try to hide in the treescape above what looked like a small water oasis just in case Desmond needs it for his eyes.

There wasn't alot of water on the planet left outside the system in Mosaic so this most be a rare patch that didn't take much damage 

 *cloaks ship becoming one with the trees*

I sniff the area finding it smelling FUNNY.

"What is that smell??

*its pot*

Desmond:

She mentions hiding. Everyone would probably ask questions back at the barn and well I was found there once already...

"Oh, he is definitely not safe to be around..." I say in agreement.

All those terrible... bending abilities....

 Couldn't he just make everyone his meat puppets?... Maybe he does that secretly with clones, so the public doesn't question things and keeps the rumor alive that he's some sort of untouchable virgin-oathed saint... If they even would question anything given his god status and all.... As if our multiple situations weren't bleak and hopeless enough as it was..

I'm not very helpful. At least Meri is taking charge.

"Um... I... dunno...

I don't know if I could actually use chemical-based wipes on my eyes if we could even find any, let alone be able not to freak out and panic during the attempt...

Putting... stuff... on.. my... eyeballs...

That sounded disturbing.

Shivers.

But I guess I already had blood all over them and... Will that stuff just start drying up and go flakey gross or anything in my eye sockets??? Holy Flynn.

Panics and starts fidgeting with my bracelet, rocking back and forth slightly.

Okay!... Maybe the chemicals stinging my eyes would be better because now I'm just freaking out of an eye infection!!

"Is there anything in the car?... Chemical-based wipes or anything?"

I have no idea where we are being blind and all. But I smell A LOT.

"Something that will mask our scents, little dude. Good job." I try to fake a smile trying to be encouraging,  not wanting to freak him out, but I'm so NOT OKAY with my own mental freak out it turns into a grimace.

Mer:

.......

Desmond suggests wet wipes for his eyes.

I look around the vehicle but was not sure.

Tully would have a better idea then I would.

"Would hand sanitizer or oil do if we can't find wipes?"

I question, throwing out other ideas.

It would make sense for there to be some at least in a first aid kit or something but if not..

I smell weed and look over at the group around the fire wondering if they had cooking oil or something should the car have nothing.

Tully asks about the weed smell and I pause trying to think.

That might help calm Desmond's nerves too now that I think of it.

Unfortunately I have never tried the stuff to confidently refer it for pain relief..

Tully:

I use my keychain (that had a big fuzzy SLOTH on it) to unlock a pop up cabinet with all sorts of goodies for the Peacekeepers. 

Including SNACKS and ways to sanitize your hands before eating of course.

"Motor oil is in the back?" I gesture not sure why they would put it into someones eyes.

... *beginning to question the logic here we should really go BACK*

Desmond:

My fidgeting fingers start feeling numb. The coldness in my hands starts to feel.. err... colder... I think. So does my feet for some reason... Is this a symptom of highness?

I start to feel a bit light-headed and blink a bit blindly. The smell was starting to give me a headache too.

I listen to Mer. Everything she says sounds soooo much better then my suggestion.

"Hand sanitizer must be healthier than old blood, right?"

And oil would... just be like, made of vegetables so that's probably safe too..

"And the oil would probably be less stingy?.. Maybe?.."

"And might be better than rubbing a cloth on my eyes now that I think about it..."

Less abrasive and scratchy...

"You're brilliant Meri!" Smiles and sways slightly.

Tully mentions motor oil...

Err...

"Well, fuel for fire is.. probably healthy for me right?..."

Probably...

Yeah...

"Uh... Worth a shot?"

Grins.

Mer:

I IGNORE the sloth key chain and correct Tully for his suggestion.

"No, not motor oil, vegetable oil. Never put motor oil in yours eyes Tully."

I exclaim alarmed he actually thought that's what I meant.

I twist myself over the seat to see what we had.

I catch myself staring too long thinking - what I thought were ground breaking thoughts about the miracles of hand sanitizer and I quickly turn and open the door to vent out the weed smell.

Damn that stuff was strong (already a bit high).

"Hey do any of you having cooking oil?!"

I call out to the campers figuring that was going to be our best option.

One of the guys gives me a look and shrugs before pulling out a container and walking in slow motion to the car.

..........

I take it from him and turn to Desmond while ripping off a part of my dress.

"We are trying the oil first."

I scent the bottle making sure it was good before pouring a drop on the ripped rag and leaning over to dabble it.

"I am.going to start slow. Tell me if it starts to hurt and I'll back off."

Desmond:

I feel weird. Sways slightly. And my headache is still bothering me.

"Okay..."
 
A small voice in the back of my mind is saying, Omf we're going to do this? Where actually going to do this??

But I start feeling too tired to address it and it gets overruled by the weird head feeling.

My earlier happiness to do whatever is suddenly overwhelmed and far from my mind in blinding white pain as my cornea that gets dabbed starts burning!

"AHHHHH!"

I lean back into the seat, sticky and tacky with my blood, as hard as I can trying to get away from the thing.

Starts tearing up from the pain that's giving me a wave of upset and panicked unease despite all the drugs in the air.

'Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!' My mind mentally chants.

Paleness that has been subtly getting paler gets really pale.

Frtiz:

I listen to Crystal's theorizes growing more and more alarmed.

Desmond leaves in a BAD way too.

"What should we do?" I ask out loud the moment they are out of earshot.

"It might be safe back home..if they just came over here like nothings wrong. But.. "

I don't want to make her leave if she feels she's needed here. She took the last surprise attack so hard. I know she wants to help and I wont stop her.

"Do you want to stay here?"

Crystal:

Fritz makes an excellent observation, which really did just add to the weirdness and questions to the whole thing.

Go home... Get our stuff and maybe even sleep in our own beds again... Though... Would that really be safe... With a vampire Beo on the loose...? You'd think that would have been mentioned right?... Or.. Was she too distracted by Des being weird and nervous around her... He probably knows something just isn't right with that whole thing too.

"Hmm..."

Could everything really be fine?.. Maybe.. Maybe Anja and others survived and slayed him?... Or was that wishful thinking? I feel emotions bubbling up thinking of the girls again.

I peer out towards the barn door briefly then look down in thought and try to focus my thoughts. I had to be helpful. I had to... Not be worthless... Had to make Anja and the others proud.

"I suppose we could... Head back... Scout the area... Know the.. state of the... battlefield..."

Which was a really messed up way to have to consider what should be our home.

"Maybe see if our home is still standing too... What remains..."

Like our clothes and my armor pin. Hmmm... Maybe we could find a pin for Fritz in any of the wreckage... Even if armor... Wouldn't help against the ash... Err... Maybe it would just slow him down... I don't know... But it was a thought...

"And then come back?.. It is probably best to stay here with the hunters and help them... At least until we know we won't get disintegrated in our sleep..."

So many hunters altogether, at least one if not more would be bound to probably detect him a mile away right?.. All that hunters sense training...

Zeek:

Drinks wormwood tea with fam.

Ettie is so smart! She makes an excellent point that would make everything even better!

"Yeah! Surely he woulda just burned up any who got that close!"

There's no way a vampire coulda bit him!

And if they did maybe he could burn it out? I don't know...

Peers over at the lady at the cabinets. I assume she's looking for this tea she mentions.

"Do you need help?"

Mer:

I startle at Desmond's intense reaction and immediately stop dabbling the cloth.

Ok, new plan.

I go for the hand sanitizer next.

"Hand Sanitizer?"

Ask

"Or perhaps... if you spit in the cloth instead the might work?"

It's his own fluids so it should not be harmful to him right?

I try to rationalize in the moment.

Edna:

A boy tries to stop my most vile mission so my Lady Chaos can have a prime vampiric on her side.

The daughter of Myra!

....

I turn around acting all old and sweet, giving him the dip.

"Ohh noo no trub'le. Me just silly."
I lean on the chair to block the view of the open cabinet. 

"Say whata spiders drink anyway? Dis fave'rite?" I ask trying to distract the child with a puzzling question.

Zeek:

"Ooo..."

Looks down contemplating it deep in thought. Sniffles.

"That's a good question!"

I don't want to get it wrong, like it's the MOST IMPORTANT question ever!.. At this moment.

I think I forgot all the good stuff so suddenly with being put on the spot!

"Ah, I'm drawing a blank!"

Looks away from strange lady back to Ettie and dad.

"What are your favorite drinks?"

Tully:

*still covering eyes THIS IS AWFUL*

I walk out trying to get fresh air but all I get is more of that stinky air.

*breaths through shirt annoyed*

We should go back HOME and get HELP.

Desmond:

The stinging burns!

My eyes continue to water.

Shakes head at hand sanitizer comment.

She mentions spitting into a cloth.

Blindly feels around., touching her hand then up to her cloth.

Leans forward and completely misses and rubs head against her shoulder making whining noises. Rubbing tears onto her and my eyes.

Mer:

I rip the cloth in half, discarding the part that had the oil on it and using the other to wipe up his saliva.

"I'm trying your saliva next."

I announce helplessly as he wipes his eyes, tears and the blood on my shoulder.

Please.. please.. please work.

I dabble his eye and stop, waiting for his reaction.

Desmond:

Sniffles.

The burning lessens to more of an irritating itch, added to the strange sensation of the eye dabs, that I dare not scratch even though I really, really wanted to.

Whimpers against the impulse and everything. I keep my restless hands at bay by kneading her clothes.

I start to see a bit vaguely. Freezes instantly.

(("It's working!"))

I mind thinking not wanting to do ANYTHING that might mess anything up.

Tries very hard to hold still and not to blink now that I can actually see the cloth going right at my eye.

Ahhhh! This is so scary!!!

Don't move! Don't move! Don't move! I mentally chant between that and mental freak out screams.

Mer:

I take Desmond's que and act quickly, trying to get this over with as soon as possible as clearly this was extremely uncomfortable for him.

After about a minute or two of wiping his eyes, I then proceed with wiping away any remaining blood on his face.

"There.. "

I smile.

Tully ditched. I think the screaming got to him.

Either that or the smell.

"Do you have any other wounds that need treatment or was it mainly just the eyes?"

I question while trying to think of where we go from here.

Desmond:

Blinks now that it's thankfully over! Oh my goddess that was horrible.

It's probably a good thing I didn't pass out. I was worried there with the light headedness and the freak out.

I wonder how Mer was able to do that and not be freaked out about accidentally poking my eye out or something. Dang she was brave.

Smiles back at her now.

Looks down and lifts up my hands. I hope I didn't knead too hard, given how numb and tingly they felt.

I also noticed the amount of skin that was slicked off from the sides off my arms from Bash's energy thingies. But as weird as it looked I though it would be fine. It was the numbness creeping up my hands that was.. kinda concerning... But like I could still move them so... It was probably fine nerve-wise wise at least.

"Um..."

Looks back to my pierced-through palms.

"Do you think there's main arteries in the palms... Or... I dunno know?"

Was there secondary ones either? I don't know... Maybe I'm overthinking it. My head feels fuzzy.

Mer:

I look at his palms in thought.

"I believe there may be a couple, but where you are wounded, I think misses the mark."

It's a shame Fritz wasn't here to verify that.

Blythe taught me some things but by no means did I consider myself a medical professional.

I trace my index finger on his palm where the ulnar and radial arteries were.

Regardless, his hands were pierced through and required treatment.

I reach over the seat and take out a few more things from the cabinet.

"Looks like we have a few different types of wound dressings to pic from."

I unroll the one and search for the corresponding clip.

"Spit into your hands?"

I suggest as that was currently the only thing that wasn't causing him irritation in the disinfectant category.

Desmond:

I nod, at her assessment.

"Well that's good. One less thing to worry about..."

I shiver getting goosebumps at the tickly numb feeling as she traces her finger. It was... a nice feeling after all this horribleness.

Blushes and looks away.

I have to look back though to do as I'm told and hold my out my hands.

"Thanks."

I try to get my mind off the... 'good' feeling....

"I wonder if all the blood will bring or keep Beo away since it's.... mine?"

Could he even tell? After ALL these years?... I don't know? There was our brief encounter at the Center but that place was all smokey...

Mer:

I wrap Desmond's hands and clip the material together so it is snug.

"How does that feel?"

I question hoping it wasn't too tight. 

Desmond mentions Beolan and I look up at him for a moment in thought.

"Is he really a vampire?"

I ask finding the thought very disturbing.

"I mean, I am guessing you have seen him?"

How sick was it to find out he was alive all this time and no one was even looking for him.

It was just like the station all over but worse because now Boron has him.

I space out for a moment remembering what today was.

Boron's return, which is why.. Bash, wanted me to bring Desmond and Beolan back to him.

For what purpose though? Clearly he didn't seem too worried about the current state of things based on how we found him.

.............

I try to keep myself from spacing out again and turn back to Desmond once more.

"I'm afraid I have been a bit out of the loop."

Desmond:

Always so nice.

"Good, thanks."

I carefully test it out as I take out Beo's bracelet from my pocket and hold it out in my open, wrapped palm to her, figuring maybe it might matter more to her at this point.

I swallow.

"Alright..." I grind my teeth in thought. "I'll tell you what I know.. But.." I trail off.

You might get mad at me... I think.

"I saw him briefly... He was..."

I hesitate since... What she saw at the center....

"At the Center... I thought... It was weird... I.. heard things that made me believe Beo... Did what he did to... Us..."

My face heats up and I try to explain hoping she understands my point of view.

"It made sense... You were gone and suddenly out of nowhere he was there in the next room beside where I was being... 'treated'...  But... Obviously, that wasn't the case..."

I don't say because it was Sebastian out loud.

"But I... briefly attacked him when I made my escape... I then heard about a vampire attack and then shortly after that... I escaped with Ettie when he attacked the city... I don't know if he is a vampire but... From what I could tell, though I was more paying attention to.., you know, surviving, but he seemed to really be going at it... Ashing the place, destroying stuff, messing with the waterways... It was bad..."

Mer:

I take the bracelet from Desmond and get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach at the sight of it.

It brought back so many bittersweet memories when we were young and times were much simpler than this.

Or at least it sure felt that way..

I look down at my own wrist, expecting to see my own bracelet but it was gone.

I wondered what happened to it.

I think to myself as I slip Beolan's on in place of my own.

Desmond opens up to me regarding his latest encounter with our old friend.

I wince and take Desmond's hand in reassurance.

"We will figure this out. I don't blame you for what you did. Each of us, have been manipulated in our own way. Now that we are aware of all the... factors involved, we will be in a better position to move forwards, whatever that looks like."

I move my hand away from his in thought.

"But first, I think we need to find our friends and warn them."

They deserve to know what's going on especially during such a fragile time as this.

Desmond:

I blink relieved damp eyes at her words.

I swallow and nod.

"Yeah. You're right. Like always."

Hopefully, they'll believe us...

Though they might have so much on their plate with the Xern vampire problem.. Even if Beo is't one. There was talk of a female one and someone had to have killed Tamsin... I suddenly feel the sadness of his loss once more as I'm reminded of it and lower my head...

Shit... I realize Mer wouldn't know.

I try to think how best to bring it up on top of everything else. At the very least, maybe I should tell her before we call Tully over... So she doesn't have to have an audience.

I lean back into the seat and turn my head to Mer, looking at her sadly and hesitating, wondering if I should put an arm around her before I tell her the news.

Instead, I lean my head against her shoulder and briefly close my eyes thankful I can be this close to her again without bad thoughts. Then open my eyes and let out a breath.

"Um..."

I swallow.

"Speaking of friends..."

I move my head off her and look up at the ceiling, not wanting my gaze to put any pressure onto her.

"Tamsin... He..." I swallow. "He's gone, Mer..."

My mind drifts to how I had to leave his body here...

They say energy is never created or destroyed... Maybe his energy is up there somewhere... Among the frozen stars.

"He's... one with the cosmic energies now..."

Tully:

I tried not to LISTEN OR LOOK.

I dont hear screaming though... 

is it.. over.

I look up the tree where the ship is still cloaked.

Carry:

Zeek asks me about drinks. The old women wants to know what spiders drink.

...I click a finger on the glass of sweettea thoughtfully thinking ....liquefied inners.... 

"Lemonade." I said with a innocent smile.

(Ettie): "oh..mm I like ....a..nything." She thinks onward about never having anything to drink at the coven. A pipe dripping was a real treat.

 I scoot her over another muffin sympathy.

Fritz:

I listen to Crystal thoughtfully. 
 
This was a hard choice, we were safe here... but..

"As long as your ok with going back."

I try to reassure her not wanting ..her to blame herself again if something went wrong.

"I'll go wherever you are."
I remind her as I hear some commotion from the look outs in the field.

"...its him.."

An old hunter runs passed us SENSING vampire (the pink car party)

Mer:

I tilt my head at Desmond thoughtfully before looking out the window to see where Tully went.

How we were going to sneak back into the city I did not know.

*Looks over briefly at one of the old VANS seeing potential.*

I am distracted from my thoughts however at Desmond's news.

"He is?"

I question disturbed.

"Do you know... what happened?"

I ask trying to understand.

Desmond:

I look back at her and frown.

"I... only saw the aftermath... He and his peacekeepers were slaughtered in the streets..."

Do I need to question everything now? I wonder.

Maybe I had even misunderstood dad. Maybe Sebastian was the bad false 'Starker'. Wasn't that revelation all sudden and everything too during the aftermath of the big crisis? And it was from that point everything was left in ruins and Mer and Beo first went missing.

"Xern vampires might have done it."

Zeek:

Dad points out an amazing suggestion.

"Ooo lemonade!" Lifts head up thoughtfully, gazing at the ceiling.

"Strawberry lemonade is really good! So is lemonade tea!"

I look to Ettie. She also makes a good point! I nod in agreement.

Crystal:

Fritz was too good for me. He was such a good man. A true gem.

Right as I was about to embrace him there was a commotion.

I follow his gaze. Fritz understands what's happening faster than I do.

"It appears the decision was made for us..."

I look back at him and put my body against his. Wrapping an arm around his neck, I give him a long kiss before I reluctantly let go, take his hand, and give it a squeeze, then follow the rest of the hunter mob.

The mob and I approach at the ready and find a pink car-ship. It.. weirdly felt familiar in a way I couldn't place.

Gets closer.

What in Ni'ed's firey fury was I looking at?

Mer:

I cringe.

I thought they were all destroyed.

*Worries about Ettie and Joseph and how they will take the news.*

So the Overlord is on his way, we have Xern vampires on the lose and our king has completely gone mad.

How are we ever supposed to win this fight when the odds are so against us?!

I keep my doubts to myself of course but it was really hard not to get discouraged.

Even Beolan was against us..

"Maybe we should just leave the planet. Do you really see us surviving an attack in this condition?"

Desmond:

"I mean..."

Err....

"Not really... But do you think we can convince the others of that?"

I can't leave poor Ettie and her family with all this...

"Maybe once they learn about... What we know now? It'll.. Really sink in?.."

I hope...

Mer:

"We can try.."

.....

I look out the window at Tully.

"Maybe we should tell Tully first."

Desmond:

That's all we can do...

"Yeah..."

I turn to the window and open the door and cough with the smell of weed and mushrooms from outside.

"Tully! You can come back now, dude!"

I finally notice the hippies and give an awkward wave and uncomfortable smile. Not because of them but because of everything all at once.

They are so screwed... And probably too high to care to do anything about it.

Tully:

*high  on the floor shirtless surrounded by mushrooms*

Fritz:

*still still DAZED by Crystals's goodbye kiss there*

But I was WORRIED and recover to slowly inch behind.

I slow down letting more of the angry mob join.

*Angry mob waiting for KLAUS to explain the Xern heart that was being SENSED out by the hunters*

One hunter whispers to another.

(Man): "Under 48 hours and this car caught another one... can you believe it. Vampires just are drawn into the PINK."

I write down the details from a bush, in case we need to trap vampires.

Pink, and rainbow gleam on the windows... *

Mer:

I look at Desmond embarrassed.

I am not talking to Tully when he looks like that.

Honestly, I wasn't sure If I had the nerve to tell him if he were sober either.

"What do we even say anyways? The king attacked you and has taken up cloning in his spare time?"

I try to make light of a very dark situation.

It was awkward.

I get out of the car regardless to stretch my legs.

Desmond:

Errr... This wasn't going well...

I get out and follow Mer.

I peer at Tully as I follow her and wonder if we should feel responsible or not.

The man was driving, wasn't he? He brought us here.

But he didn't even know about weed...

I don't know...

I look back to Mer uncertain.

I try to think so the pressure isn't all on her.

Starts rambling out ideas as they come to me.

"So... We try to find Cycles to use to escape after we tell our friends and them um... Oh wait no first we need to find a.. a map to.. Know where to go and.. and then go from there...?"

I then remember that artifact thingy people sometimes use to travel.

"Or.. Maybe use the stargate.. Yeah, that would be better. We should.. Grab supplies... Food and stuff.. then.. Then it'll work. We can even keep the cycle idea and just drive 'em through the gate."

Instead of just flying out into space for who knows how long and staving to death.

Mer:

I turn to look at Desmond and bite my lip, trying not to smile.

His attempts at trying to help were cute. I just wish I had more motivation regarding the whole thing.

Tully was... out.

"We should probably have told him about the smell."

Ugh, it stunk so much out here. Even if we did find our friends - smelling like this - could we ever expect them to believe us?

I wander back over to Tully and plunk down next to him.

"It's going to be ok."

I pat his head, starting to feel the fumes myself.

"Weed only slows down your brain and causes you to relax. You might get a little stupid and hungry, unless you have a bad trip but that doesn't really happen when it's in this form."

The mushrooms however..

I blink and stare at them for awhile.

"You don't think he ate a mushroom do you?"

I whisper to Des.

Desmond:

Peers down at him.

"Um..."

Well, it would explain why he was here of all places.

I get a desire to poke him but I don't want to touch him. Can he sweat out mushrooms?

I look for a stick then poke him with it and watch to see his reaction.

... or lack thereof..

"I'm gonna hazard a guess and say yes.. The munchies hit hard."